Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all. You guys ready to see what the Casey family has been up to? I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Sixty One
Gabby grimaced when she heard the sharp cry of her little girl, the noise immediately pulling the new mother from her slumber, Gabby slowly opening her tired eyes as she looked over towards her daughter's small bed, seeing Matt standing over her. Sofia only cried once, her daughter emitting what Gabby could only describe as one soft shriek, but she was definitely still fussy.
"Come on, baby girl." Matt whispered, Gabby seeing him starting the process of changing Sofia's diaper, her husband beginning to unbutton her small onesie. "I need you to be quiet, Momma needs her rest."
"I'm awake." Gabby murmured, Matt jumping slightly before looking back to her, seeing her tired eyes shining back at him.
"Hey, sorry, I tried to get to her before she got too loud." Matt responded apologetically, returning his attention to the task at hand, Sofia continuing to fuss as he changed her.
"It's okay, what time is it?"
"Uh, a little after three." He responded, his tongue poking out while he worked. "Now you better not pee on me again, you already did that twice today." His last sentence was clearly directed towards their daughter, Gabby smiling softly as she watched him take care of Sofia. "You can go back to sleep, I got her."
"No, it's okay. She'll probably need to eat soon, anyway." Gabby spoke, a yawn escaping her mouth as she adjusted her hospital bed, positioning herself in the angle she'd found worked best for feeding Sofia. It had been about three hours since Sofia last ate, her daughter finishing a little after midnight, and if the schedule they'd fallen into recently was any indication, she'd be hungry here soon.
The new family had been in the hospital for ten days, Sofia not knowing much outside the walls of this hospital room. With Gabby's extensive surgery, she hadn't been cleared to leave the hospital yet. And Sofia hadn't been cleared to leave, either. With her being premature, she'd been getting checked up on frequently, and after an incident their second day in the hospital, her release had been postponed.
During Gabby's second full day in the hospital, during one of Sofia's feedings, her and Matt both noticed their baby seemed to be having a little difficulty breathing. It wasn't anything terrible, but she'd been wheezing. They were told it was normal, that because of their small airways, babies sometimes wheezed, especially during feedings. But then there was one particularly horrifying incident when during her feeding, Sofia began coughing uncontrollably and the parents weren't even sure she could breathe. Matt had quickly grabbed her, patting against her back until she choked out milk all over her dad's neck and shirt, the coughing turning back into wheezing before Sofia began crying. It was definitely one of the most terrifying experiences of their lives, and after a panicked call to Dr. Tanner, Sofia had been sent for more extensive exams.
It ended up being a hard few days for the new parents, Sofia almost immediately being diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. They had taken her back to the NICU and put her on an IV for a few days, Matt practically glued to his daughter's bedside while Gabby was stuck in her own room. It was scary for both of them, and Gabby hated not being able to be there to comfort her daughter. But once she became a little more mobile, she did get taken to visit Sofia a few times, Gabby and Matt both hating the sight of their daughter so sick.
But, once that storm passed, things had gotten better. Sofia's infection wasn't anything close to life-threatening, but it had still shaken the new parents. There had been a couple of sleepless nights and nothing but debilitating worry, but soon enough Sofia had bounced back, the infection clearing up within days. Gabby had to be away from her daughter for four days while she was confined to the NICU, but after that, Sofia had been cleared to return back to the nursery, which meant she could be with her mom. And the little girl hadn't had any problems since.
They did have to do three breathing treatments a day with her, Dr. Tanner recommending it as a precaution, which Gabby and Matt immediately agreed to. But, other than that, she was a perfectly happy and healthy baby, and the new family of three was slowly finding their own rhythm.
A rhythm that included Sofia nursing every two to three hours, something Gabby was doing her best to adjust to.
She loved her daughter, more than anything else on this planet, but motherhood was definitely an adjustment. She now lived completely for someone else, her body wasn't even her own anymore, and it was something she was coming to terms with. She'd do it again, time and time again she'd willingly do anything for Sofia, but it wasn't something she'd prepared for, and she was trying her hardest to work through it.
And being confined to this hospital wasn't helping matters. But she knew she had no choice, that all she could do was hope to be discharged sometime soon.
"Well, you were right." Matt spoke softly, pulling her from her thoughts. "She's definitely hungry." He said, Gabby looking up as he walked over towards her bed, Sofia cradled in his arms as she cried.
"Come here, baby." Gabby murmured, the two handing off Sofia seamlessly, Gabby moving the blanket down off her chest, helping Sofia latch on. Since she began breastfeeding, Gabby had quickly taken to sleeping without a shirt on, finding that easier than having to maneuver any clothing for those middle of the night feedings that her daughter seemed to enjoy so much.
Once Sofia was situated, Gabby made herself comfortable, settling in for at least a half hour feeding, if not longer, glancing over to Matt who had placed himself back in the chair he'd lived in the last ten days.
"Were you able to get any sleep?" She asked him, Matt glancing to Sofia before looking back to Gabby.
"She did. Sofia was on my chest for awhile, but she was getting restless so I put her back in bed before she woke you up. She slept there, for around an hour I think, but then she woke back up, needed a diaper change." He rambled, smiling softly.
"I was asking about you, Matt." She murmured, a sheepish smile forming on his face, Gabby seeing his exhausted gaze.
"Sorry. Yeah, I did. Not much, but I'm good." He responded, Gabby nodding as she glanced down to Sofia, seeing her daughter's bright blue eyes looking up at her while she ate.
"You can get some sleep, she's gonna be here for awhile." She spoke softly, glancing back up to see Matt watching them, seemingly barely able to keep his eyes open.
"I'm fine." He responded, flashing her a tired smile, Gabby blowing out a soft sigh.
"Matt, you've barely gotten any sleep for ten days." She countered, Matt tilting his head to the side, Gabby raising her eyebrows challengingly.
Since Sofia had been born, Matt had basically been going nonstop; the best way Gabby knew how to describe him was him being a super-dad. He'd been doing everything in his power, not only for their little Sofia, but for her as well. He had completely dedicated himself to taking care of his girls. Gabby had been getting up in the middle of the night for feedings, but Matt was pretty much taking care of everything else. He would wake her up when Sofia needed to eat, and take her right when she finished. Nights where Gabby was a little more alert, she'd stay up for awhile, wanting to spend some time with her daughter, but Matt had taken over most everything during the night. And it was close to the same during the day.
Gabby did her best to spend as much quality time with her daughter, but her recovery had taken longer than she thought, and her body was always begging her for rest, so when she got a chance to nap, she usually took it, even when she didn't mean to. She felt guilty for leaving him to do so much of the work with their newborn, but it wasn't really anything she could help. She knew she needed to get better, that her body needed time to recover, and they wouldn't really be able to divide things more evenly until she was healed, but Matt was taking everything in stride. He was absolutely amazing, with her and their daughter, and she was looking forward to when she'd be able to thank him properly.
"I'm fine, babe." He responded, leaning back into his seat.
"If I can't get you to go home and rest for a few hours during the day, I at least need you to get sleep here while you can." She spoke, Matt chuckling softly, rubbing his hand over the side of his face. In the week and a half they'd been here, Matt had only left the hospital once, and it was only out of necessity. Reluctantly, Matt had gone home to get them both things they'd need during their extended stay, and he only left because he'd gotten Jemma, Ramon, and Antonio to come be here with Gabby and Sofia. But other than that one instance, he hadn't left. He'd stayed put by Gabby's side, except for when Sofia was back in the NICU when Gabby urged him to be with their daughter.
"I'm getting enough sleep, I'm fine."
"You fell asleep in the middle of one of our conversations yesterday." She reminded him, Matt grinning sheepishly.
"I just needed a power nap, then I was good."
"Matt…"
"I'll go to sleep once she's done, you getting rest is more important."
"She's gonna be here for at least another half hour, if not more." Gabby spoke, looking back at their daughter, seeing she was still wide awake, Sofia taking to grabbing Gabby's chest in her tiny hand, pinching her skin as she ate. It was a habit she'd picked up over the last few days, Sofia apparently getting bored while she fed, needing something to keep her entertained; and pinching and grabbing Gabby had become the perfect distraction.
Looking back towards Matt, she saw her husband fading fast, a soft smile forming over her face as she watched him try and stay awake. Her smile widened even more when she realized she'd seen Sofia do that exact same thing, usually during her feedings.
"Baby," She called, Matt's eyes snapping open, finding her gaze, "go to sleep. Please."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. We're good. I've got her for awhile."
"Okay." He murmured, unable to fight off his exhaustion any longer, Matt slowly reclining his chair, covering himself with the blanket bunched up at his side. "But you'll wake me up if you need something?"
"I promise." She assured him, Matt nodding, giving her a sleepy smile before closing his eyes, Gabby watching him for a few moments before looking back to Sofia, seeing her still wide awake, clearly enjoying her meal and the time with her mom.
Gabby knew she wouldn't be able to get Sofia back in her bed without waking Matt, it was like every little sound woke him up these days. He'd always been a light sleeper, it came with the territory of their profession, but ever since Sofia, it was like he was never fully asleep. He was always alert, always waking up at the smallest peep, instantly checking to make sure his wife and daughter were okay. It would be virtually impossible for her to get up without waking him, but she could at least nurse and burp their daughter, and Gabby wouldn't be opposed to Sofia sleeping on her chest for awhile, knowing her girl loved spending her time resting against her.
Blowing out a soft sigh, Gabby brushed her thumb over Sofia's cheek, the little girl keeping her blue eyes focused on her mom, both mother and baby enjoying the close contact.
It had been hard, Sofia's first days in this world had been challenging, both physically and mentally. But they were getting through it, they were all learning together. And, aside from Sofia's illness, Gabby wouldn't change a single second.
Being here with her husband and her daughter, she was grateful for every single day she got to experience this. And she would never take it for granted.
Gabby winced as she patted her stomach dry, the new mom having just finished taking a shower in the cramped hospital bathroom. Showering this early in the morning hadn't originally been part of her plan, but when she'd woken up this morning to Matt moving a sleeping Sofia off her chest, he noticed she'd bled some during the night. She knew it was normal after a c-section, and it wasn't the first time it had happened, but it was still always initially alarming, Matt alerting her to the blood staining her thighs and her sheets before she even realized. Which led to her deciding to take a quick shower.
Although these days, quick was a relative term, Gabby unable to do anything quickly with her healing body, but she was at least thankful to be able to bathe on her own again. Most days her recovery felt slow, like she wasn't making any progress, but considering she'd now been able to not only make it to the bathroom by herself, but also stand long enough to bathe, she knew she was definitely moving in the right direction. It took four days for her to even be able to get out of bed, so while a shower didn't seem like much, to Gabby it just told her she was slowly getting better.
"Babe?" Matt's voice filtered into the small room, Gabby looking towards the closed door as she held the towel around herself.
"Yeah?"
"Can I come in?" Silently, Gabby opened the door, Matt poking his head in with a soft grin. "You doing okay?"
"I am, just about to get changed." She responded, Matt stepping inside as she released her grip on the towel, placing it back on the hook. "How's Sofia?"
"She's good, passed out in her bed. You need help?" He asked, Gabby grabbing her underwear from the stack of clothes on the counter.
"Unfortunately." She huffed out, Matt chuckling as he took the clothing from her grasp, squatting down to the floor.
"You'll never catch me complaining about this." He responded with a gleam in his eye, Gabby scoffing lightly as she braced her hands against his shoulders, carefully stepping into clothing, Matt pulling it up her legs.
"Yeah, cause I'm just the image of sex appeal these days." She joked, Matt catching her eye before he stood back up, Gabby glancing down to the counter.
"Hey," He spoke gently, putting his hand underneath her chin, tilting her head up, forcing her to look at him. "You're absolutely beautiful." His voice was soft, yet firm, the tenderness of his tone bringing a small smile to her lips. "You always have been, you always will be."
Matt knew Gabby's self-confidence had taken a hit during this pregnancy, and it was clear those issues hadn't gone away. Sure, her body was different; she still had a small rounded belly, and some extra weight on her, but none of that mattered to him, and he wished it didn't matter to her. She had just given birth, she had housed another person for almost nine months, and now she was sustaining that life. All modesty had gone out the window since Sofia was born, Matt witnessing a few things he never imagined he would, but he didn't care. She was still the most beautiful person in the world to him, and that feeling only intensified every time he saw her with Sofia.
"And you've always been a sweet talker." She responded, heat rising to her cheeks as he rubbed his thumb over her jaw.
"Well, that is how we got Sofia." He spoke, earning a laugh from Gabby as she grabbed her nursing bra, slowly sliding it on and clasping it in place, Matt grabbing her belly band off the counter. Dr. Tanner had given it to her once she became mobile, and it had worked wonders. The first time Gabby had stood up, it felt like all her organs were about to fall right out of her. It was a bizarre feeling, one Gabby wasn't in any rush to experience again, but the belly band had helped with that. It gave her the support she needed and made her feel better about being up and moving around, so she wore it often. The only catch was she usually needed Matt to put it on for her, Gabby not having the strength to get it on properly.
"Yeah, I guess you're right about that." She responded as Matt strapped the band into place, flashing her a grin. "But thank you."
"For what?"
"For being you." She spoke, Matt's grin widening as she leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss against his lips.
"No need to thank me for that." He murmured, giving her another kiss before pulling away. "But I mean it, you're fucking gorgeous." He breathed out, Gabby feeling that all too familiar warmth spread through her body, her bottom lip falling between her teeth. "My girl is hot, there's no denying that."
Before he could say another word, Gabby grabbed his cheeks, pulling him back towards her, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. It took him by surprise, but he quickly gathered himself, Matt bringing his hands up to cradle her cheeks as hers slid down to his chest, Casey not wanting to put his hands around her waist and risk hurting her.
Their intense moment ended when air became a priority, Gabby pulling back slightly, her lips brushing against his. "Who knew incisions, leaking breasts, and loose skin were such a turn on for you?" She teased, Matt laughing before he kissed her again, his thumb brushing over her cheek.
"Well, it has more to do with the person underneath all that, but I won't deny it." He joked, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she gave him another kiss, the two enjoying one last moment together before pulling back.
Knowing they were on borrowed time, Matt finished helping Gabby get dressed in her shorts and t-shirt, the clothes hanging off her body because they belonged to him. Once she was mobile, the first thing Gabby did was change into her own clothes, but that soon turned into her wearing Matt's, his bigger clothes feeling more comfortable on her sore body.
Once she was clothed, Matt pressed a kiss to the back of her head, leaving her to brush her teeth as he went back out into the room, his eyes immediately moving to his daughter, seeing her exactly where he'd left her, her arms outstretched above her head.
"Hey little girl." He murmured when he got closer, seeing her wide awake. He was a little surprised she hadn't made any noise, Matt knowing how Sofia usually never had any problem screaming to alert her parents of her conscious state. "Were you quiet to give me time to help Momma? You're such a sweet little girl." He continued, resting his hand over her small chest, Sofia's eyes widening when she saw her dad, her arms moving around in what Matt liked to think was excitement. He knew she was too young to really know much of anything, but what he did know was Sofia could recognize both her parents from just their voices. From his extensive reading before she was born, he knew it would take some time for her to be able to really recognize him and Gabby from their faces, but he was certain she knew who they were. She always perked up when she heard either of them, and while she didn't mind being held by others, she was definitely the most comfortable in the arms of her mother and father. "You're wide awake, aren't you? Oh, your Momma's gonna love that."
Knocking on Gabby's door grabbed Matt's attention, Casey leaving his hand on Sofia's chest as he looked up. "Come in."
When the door opened, Matt saw Dr. Tanner walk in through the doorway, the woman wearing a soft smile.
"Hey Dr. Tanner."
"Hello Matt." She responded, glancing around the room. "Gabby in the bathroom?" She asked, Matt giving her a nod.
"She bled some more this morning, so she took a shower. She's finishing up right now." He told her, Dr. Tanner nodding.
"Yeah, the nurses told me, but guys know that's just normal. How is little Sofia?" She asked, walking towards the little girl, Sofia moving her arms around as she listened to the voices in the room.
"Oh, she's doing great." Matt spoke with a smile, carefully lifting Sofia from her bed, cradling the baby in his arms.
"No wheezing or anything?"
"Nope." Matt responded proudly, Sofia moving her arms around, only settling when Matt gave her his finger, the little girl immediately clasping it in her little fist. "I think she's in the clear. We've still got a few more days of her breathing treatments, which she doesn't love, but we've figured out a system that works."
"That's good to hear." She replied, turning around as Gabby walked out of the bathroom. "Hello Gabby."
"Hi." She greeted, slowly moving towards the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm pretty good, a little less sore today."
"Good, that's good. I just came by the check up on you, and take a look at your incisions." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding as she slowly lifted her shirt and removed her belly band, knowing Matt would have to put it back on her later.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Gabby slowly lifted her legs up, situating herself before glancing towards Matt, seeing him completely focused on Sofia, bouncing the little girl in his arms.
"Have you had any pain around the incision, Gabby?" Dr. Tanner asked as Dawson lifted up her shirt and moved down her shorts.
"No, I haven't. There's been the normal pain where I sometimes move too fast, or turn sharply, but around the incision, no."
"That's good to hear." She responded, gently palpating the area. Although still a little red, and definitely bruised, Gabby's abdomen looked good, Matt peeling his eyes away from Sofia to look at Gabby's stomach, grimacing at the bruising. He saw it often, but every time he did, it was just the visible reminder of how much trauma her body had sustained. He was always in awe of his wife, he had been since before they got together, but being reminded of what she had gone through to bring little Sofia into this world gave him an entirely new respect for her. And that was something he hadn't even realized was possible. "So, Gabby, honestly, on a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling?"
"Right now, probably about a seven. I feel good." She responded after a few thoughtful moments, Dr. Tanner nodding.
"That's good. I know you've been through a lot, physically and mentally, as has Sofia, but I think we might be getting close to you all being able to go home." Gabby's ears perked up, looking over towards Matt who looked equally excited.
"Really?" He asked, Dr. Tanner nodding as she pulled back from Gabby's abdomen, letting her patient fix her clothes.
"Really. Gabby, you're doing very well. You've had no issues with your recovery, which I think is well deserved after everything that happened during this pregnancy. And little Sofia, I know she's being monitored closely, but she's definitely doing better. It would be a few more days, definitely not before she finishes all those breathing treatments, but I think maybe in three or four days, we can get you both home."
"That would be great." Gabby breathed out, looking towards Sofia, the little girl completely focused on her dad's finger, making a game out of moving her arm around while holding onto him. "As long as it's safe for her to leave."
"I wouldn't send her home if I wasn't completely sure." Dr. Tanner reminded them both, even though it didn't need to be said. "Truthfully, if Sofia hadn't gotten sick, I'd probably go ahead and discharge you both tomorrow. But she does need to be monitored for a few more days, and it couldn't hurt you, either, so I do want to keep you here. The last thing that you need is to be stuck at home away from your baby, and I know Sofia does best when she's with you both anyway. Me discharging one of you before the other would most likely only cause Sofia, and you, to be stressed, and we don't want that. But I think in probably four days, at the latest, you two will be able to go home."
"Yeah, if she's here, I'm here." Gabby responded, Dr. Tanner nodding with an understanding smile.
"I know, and that's for the best. Not just for Sofia, but for you as well. But, regardless, the end is in sight. I know you both want to get home, and the best thing for Sofia is to let her start to get adjusted in her own home, so it'll be good for all of you. I've already talked this over with the doctor who treated Sofia in the NICU, him and I are on the same page. As long as she checks out okay once her treatments are done, you all should be able to go home."
"Thank you, Dr. Tanner."
"Of course. I'm glad you're still feeling well, and that Sofia is doing good." She responded, Gabby nodding before she looked towards Matt, seeing him watching their daughter closely.
"Everything okay?" Gabby asked, Matt looking up and nodding.
"Yeah, I just think she's hungry, she's doing that thing with her mouth."
"I'll get out of your way, let you take care of Sofia, I just wanted to come by to tell you the good news."
"I'm glad you did, thank you for stopping by." Gabby spoke, Dr. Tanner flashing them both a smile as she began heading for the door.
"Glad to, I'll see you all later." She told them, Matt nodding before she left the room, closing the door behind her.
Once they had their privacy, Matt moved closer to the bed, Gabby lifting up her shirt and unhooking her nursing bra, taking Sofia from her husband's arms. "You eat just as much as your Daddy does." Gabby mused, Sofia eagerly beginning to feed once she was able, Matt chuckling as he watched his daughter.
"Well, she's a growing girl." He responded, resting his hand over the top of Sofia's head, the little girl too distracted by her meal to react to his touch, Sofia clutching onto Gabby's chest while she ate.
"So… we'll be taking her home, soon." Gabby spoke, looking up towards Matt, seeing him give her an excited nod.
"Yeah. It's crazy, but I think it will be good for all of us."
"Me too." She agreed, Matt rubbing over his daughter's head before pulling back, moving across the room to grab Sofia's small oxygen mask. To give her the medication she needed, they had been given a small mask that they put her medication in, already separated into the correct dosages, that Sofia needed to breathe in. They quickly found out that it worked best to give her the medication while she slept, more specifically her sleeping in her mother's or father's arms, with Matt or Gabby holding the mask up to her mouth. It had a strap to keep it in place, but Sofia hated it, the girl always screaming until it got removed. So Matt and Gabby had found the best option was to just hold the mask, waiting until she had fallen asleep to start it.
They hated that their little girl had been through so much in her few days on earth, but they knew these treatments were necessary, and that they would only help her. So while Gabby fed Sofia, Matt got the medication set up, knowing Sofia usually passed out after she ate.
Bringing the breathing apparatus over, Matt made himself comfortable in the chair, Casey aware that it could be awhile before Sofia was done, their girl always taking her time while she fed.
With Gabby focused on Sofia, Matt took some time to respond to a few texts he'd missed over the last day, filling Severide and Jemma in on the update from Dr. Tanner, knowing they were wanting to know what was going on. And Matt also knew by telling Severide, he ensured everyone from 51 would be told as well.
"She's done." Gabby whispered, Matt looking up from his phone, not even realizing how much time had passed as he saw Sofia asleep in Gabby's arms, Matt immediately standing up. Pulling her away from her chest, Matt carefully took Sofia into his arms, giving Gabby the chance to cover herself back up while he got situated in the chair with his sleeping daughter.
Once she had settled into his hold, Matt grabbed the oxygen mask, maneuvering his hand on the arm holding her to keep the mask against her face, using his other to turn the machine on. Slowly, the medication began flowing through the mask, Sofia breathing it in while she slept.
"You got it?" Gabby asked softly, Matt looking up to see her watching them, Matt giving her a small grin.
"Yeah, we're good." He responded quietly, looking back down at his little Sofia, gently holding the mask up to her face while she slept soundly, Matt content to do nothing more than sit here and watch his little girl.
Severide hopped down from squad's rig, huffing out a heavy breath as they returned from their last call, Kelly beginning the process of shedding his turnout gear, his men following suit. Once free of the heavy material, Severide had every intention of heading straight for his recliner, wanting to get off his feet after being at their last call for well over three hours. But based on the way his stomach was growling, he knew it was best to get some food first.
Stretching out his stiff neck, Kelly began walking for the common room, feeling a few of his men walking behind him as well, no doubt having the same idea he had. Stepping inside the firehouse, Severide saw most of truck, and Brett and Foster, seated in the common room, neither having been called along with squad earlier. He wasn't sure if they'd been called out at all, but for as long as squad 3 had been gone, he knew they could've been called out and gotten back in that time.
"How was the call?"
"Long." Severide huffed out, heading straight for the kitchen, needing to get some food in him. "But everyone got out okay." He added, earning a few nods before he began grazing around, unsure of what he wanted. Settling on a sandwich, Severide got out everything he'd need, beginning to make his food.
The second he finished preparing his makeshift meal, the sandwich was in his mouth, Kelly groaning thankfully as he finally had some food in his system. After a few bites, he began putting away his ingredients, Kelly grabbing the rest of his sandwich from the counter, getting an apple from the bowl before heading for the small circle table.
"Anyone have an update on Dawson and the kid?" Herrmann spoke up after a few minutes, the older firefighter mindlessly flipping through the channels. Kelly felt a few eyes in the room on him, Severide looking up with his mouth full as Herrmann turned around. "You heard anything, Severide?"
It was no secret that if anyone in the firehouse would know anything, it would be Kelly. Although almost everyone had reached out, and spoken to Casey, and a few had talked to Gabby, Kelly was the one who Casey shared news with, the house assuming it easier to tell one person than multiple people. Along with that, Severide had been the only one to actually see Gabby and the baby.
With Gabby's recovery, and then little Sofia's illness and problems with her lungs, Dr. Tanner never lifted the 'family only' visitor rule. Only Antonio, Ramon, Severide, and Jemma had been allowed to come and visit, and only Ramon and Antonio were allowed to visit Sofia when she got sent back to the NICU. Everyone understood, and when they'd heard of the littlest Casey's health issues, they were all rightfully concerned. Their only priority was knowing that little girl would get better. After everything Dawson and Casey had gone through to get to this point, the last thing they needed was a sick baby, and everyone just hoped and prayed that Sofia would be okay. Which, after a few long and stressful days, they found out she'd be fine. But they were never given the all-clear that it was okay to visit, which most were bummed about, but they knew it was for the best. No matter how much they wanted to see Gabby, and finally meet Sofia, if they shouldn't visit, they weren't going to. They were all eager to meet the newest little addition to their firehouse, but they respected the fact that they weren't allowed to go and visit, opting to show their support from afar.
"Uh, not that I know of." Kelly responded, patting his pockets, searching for his phone, which he soon found, Severide pulling the device out. "Oh, wait." When his phone lit up, he saw he had a few missed messages from Casey, the last sent an hour ago.
"What is it?" Mouch asked, everyone keeping their eyes on Severide as the man was focused on his phone.
"Casey said they were told this morning that both Gabby and Sofia should be able to go home in a few days." He spoke with a soft smile, looking up from his phone.
"Really?" Herrmann asked, his ears perking up.
"Yeah, Matt says it'll be a few more days, Sofia still has to finish her medication and then get the all clear, but he said Gabby's good. Dr. Tanner said that if Sofia hadn't gotten sick, they'd probably be out of there already, but they're gonna keep them both until Sofia can leave."
"That's great news!" Herrmann spoke excitedly, tapping his hand against his leg. "I know they've had a rough go of it, but they've gotta be looking forward to getting home."
"I'm sure they are, yeah."
"What was wrong with their kid, again?" Garcia's voice cut in, Severide glancing towards the man sitting at the other table, the Captain leaned back in his chair. Kelly's eyes narrowed in confusion and slight annoyance, knowing that Sofia's issues had been the talk of the firehouse lately. It had been discussed multiple times a day, and always in their morning meetings, all of which Garcia was present for.
"She had a respiratory infection." Herrmann replied, eyeing him curiously as well, the man nodding without another word, the older firefighter turning back to Kelly. "When'd you last visit, Severide?"
"I was there for a few hours yesterday."
"And Sofia was good?"
"She's doing well, yeah. I got there when she was sleeping, and doing her breathing treatment thing, which is how she gets the medication, I think is what Casey said. It was a little unsettling, I won't lie. She's just so small, and like I know how it feels when I get sick, I can't imagine what that does to a little, tiny person." He breathed out, earning a few understanding nods from his fellow firefighters. "But when she woke up, damn you could tell she was feeling alright." He laughed, Herrmann and a couple others chuckling. "She's got a voice on her, and she has so much energy. As far as I could tell, she was feeling just fine."
"Good, that's good."
"And how's Gabby?" Brett asked, Kelly glancing towards the paramedic.
"She seemed good. She was up and moving around a bit, albeit slowly, but considering everything she went through, she seemed to be doing well. Both of them were good."
"That's great to hear."
"Severide." Kelly looked over when he saw Chief standing at the entrance to the room, nodding his Lieutenant over. Severide pushed himself up from his chair, everyone going back to their own conversations as Kelly walked towards the Chief, meeting him out in the hallway.
"What's up, Chief?"
"I need that report from the shed fire last shift, I guess the husband is pressing charges and I'm getting heat from PD to get it sent in."
"It's finished, I can get it to you right now." He responded, Boden giving him an appreciative nod.
"Thank you, Severide." He replied, turning to walk away.
"Wait, Chief." Kelly stopped him, walking towards him as Boden turned back around, raising his eyebrows in curiosity. "I got an update from Casey this morning."
"How are they?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for a response.
"Really good. Gabby's doing well, so is little Sofia. They should be discharged in a few more days." He responded, Boden's eyes widening in surprise.
"Yeah?" He questioned, Kelly nodding.
"That's what Casey said. He said they're just waiting on Sofia to get the all clear, then they should be able to go home."
"That's great, I can't imagine living out of that hospital has been easy."
"It hasn't been, but I think sometimes they were grateful for it, like when Sofia got sick they caught it pretty quickly." Kelly replied, Boden nodding in agreement. "But they're ready to get home. I mean, Sofia hasn't even been outside yet. I think it'll be good for all of them to get back into their place."
"Yeah, it will... Has Casey said anything about how much longer he'll be taking off?" Boden asked, Severide responding with a shrug.
"No, he hasn't. I doubt he knows, honestly. It'll probably be awhile, though, with Gabby recovering." He answered, Boden giving him an understanding nod. "Everything with Dawson is still pretty much day to day, and I imagine it'll be pretty hard to pry Casey away from his family anytime soon."
"That's what I figured." Boden spoke with a soft sigh.
"Yeah, but he'll be back at some point, though I wouldn't be surprised if that's weeks away. I know you guys haven't seen her, but Gabby's just now being able to do some things on her own, and that's still not much. She hasn't even been lifting Sofia, and that baby is tiny. She has to be careful, so I figure it'll be awhile before Casey's back…"
"That's fine, I just wasn't sure if he'd mentioned anything about it."
"He hasn't." Kelly replied, straightening his spine. "I don't think work is on his mind much right now, and I doubt he could give you a time table of when he was coming back, even if he wanted to… But it's better than the alternative, at least he'll eventually be coming back." Severide breathed out, Boden's head tilting to the side in curiosity.
"What do you mean?" He asked, Kelly lifting his eyebrows.
"What?" Severide questioned.
"What alternative, what are you talking about?" Boden elaborated, Kelly's tongue running over his bottom lip.
"I'm talking about Casey's plans, if something happened to Dawson." Severide replied carefully, immediate confusion covering Boden's face, his eyebrows furrowing. "...Casey never told you, did he?"
"Tell me what?" He asked, Severide releasing a heavy sigh before responding.
"If Dawson died, Casey was going to quit."
Immediate shock covered Boden's face, but it soon fell, the man breathing deeply, rubbing his hand over his mouth as he took in his Lieutenant's words.
"Casey said if they lost Gabby, he wouldn't risk Sofia losing him too. He was gonna leave 51, get a job at headquarters or something." Severide continued, Boden shaking his head as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"...I guess that shouldn't come as a surprise, but I really hadn't ever thought about it."
"Me neither." Severide replied, glancing back into the common room before continuing. "When he told me, I was shocked, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. He told me he'd been thinking about it ever since his accident a few months back, where he fell through the stairs. He said ever since that, it was all he could think about, and he'd made the decision to not come back had something happened to Dawson." He finished, Boden giving him a slow nod. "But, thank God, it never came to that." Severide breathed out.
"Yeah… thankfully it didn't."
Matt moved around the room quickly as he did one last check, making sure they hadn't left anything behind, Gabby watching on in amusement from the hospital bed, Sofia eating peacefully while her husband moved around frantically.
"Everything alright, babe?" Gabby asked with a grin, Matt's head snapping over towards her, instantly relaxing when he saw her smile.
"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Just making sure we have everything." He responded, continuing on with his previous movement.
It had been five days since the new parents were told they'd be able to leave soon, and today was finally the day; the Casey's were going home. Sofia had finished all her medication a couple days ago, and had passed every test necessary to be sent home, as had Gabby. Both of the Casey girls were medically cleared to go home, which the parents were happy about.
But now that the time had come, Casey was feeling a little anxious. He was ready to get out of here, there was no doubt about it. After being stuck in this hospital room for over two weeks, he was more than ready to get back home. But he was a little nervous about Sofia leaving this safe environment.
In her fifteen days on this planet, she knew nothing outside of this hospital; nothing outside of this floor really, and the thought of taking her out into the world was a little nerve wracking. He knew he was being overprotective, that obviously he couldn't keep her inside forever, but his little girl was still so small, and he didn't want to risk her picking up anything. But he knew once they got secured in the car, they were going straight home, and when they got there, he'd feel a lot more at ease.
While the new dad was feeling a lot of anxiety about taking their little girl home, the same couldn't be said for Gabby. She, as expected, was handling it well, Gabby focused on the excitement she felt at finally getting to be home as a family. Of course she was nervous, but nowhere close to what Matt was feeling, which Gabby admittedly found adorable.
He had fallen into the protective father role seamlessly, and it was never more obvious than right now, Gabby watching her husband run around the small room, trying to expel his nervous energy. Although, from her vantage point, it didn't seem to be working.
"Matt." Gabby called, seeing him look back over towards her, his eyebrows raised. "Can you come take Sofia?"
"Of course, yeah." He responded with a gentle smile, stopping his frenzied movements, walking towards Gabby's bed and carefully grabbing Sofia, placing her small burp cloth over his shoulder before holding her up against his chest, gently patting her back.
After readjusting her clothes, Gabby took to watching her husband swaying back and forth slowly with their daughter in his arms, the new mom able to feel his nerves disappearing by the second. She could have easily held onto Sofia, but she knew Matt was stressing himself out, and giving him some time with their girl was the perfect way to distract him from that.
"Did you get enough to eat?" He murmured, leaning his head against hers gently as he continued patting her back, Matt moving around the room. "I'd imagine so, you spent most of the morning latched on there."
"Matt…" Gabby spoke with a chuckle, Matt flashing her a sheepish grin.
"What? She did." He responded lightly, rubbing over his daughter's back before patting her again, Sofia soon spitting up the excess milk she'd consumed. "Yeah, there it is." He spoke, wiping her mouth gently. "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach, I get it, I've been there kid." He continued his one-sided conversation, Sofia burping once more. "Wow, you really got ahead of yourself this time, didn't you?"
"You know, one of these days she's gonna be able to respond to you and tell you that you talk too much." Gabby teased, Matt rolling his eyes as he wiped the spit up from Sofia's mouth once more, removing the soiled towel from his shoulder before cradling her against his chest.
"Your Momma is being mean to me." He whispered, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement. "You'd never be mean to me, would you?" He asked, Sofia grabbing his index finger, waving her arms around. "That's what I thought." He responded with a bright grin, pressing a kiss to head. "This is why you're my favorite."
"Hey!" Gabby feigned offense, Matt flashing her a proud smirk.
"Quit eavesdropping, I'm talking to my daughter."
"Your daughter, huh?"
"Our daughter." He corrected, placing another kiss to her head. "Our perfect daughter."
"You're gonna give her a complex." She teased, Matt rolling his eyes as Sofia looked up at him, her bright blue eyes mirroring his.
"Nah, I'm not worried about that." He spoke, their conversation being interrupted by a knock on the door, one of Gabby's nurses, Tiffany, poking her head in.
"Hey, you guys ready to get out of here?" She asked, Gabby nodding enthusiastically while Tiffany pushed the door all the way open, pushing in the wheelchair for Gabby.
"We definitely are."
"Alright, well you and little Sofia are all good to go." She spoke with a soft smile, Gabby reciprocating the gesture.
Matt held onto Sofia while Gabby slowly moved into the wheelchair, Casey keeping their girl entertained while his wife got comfortable. Once Gabby was situated, Matt handed Sofia to Gabby, Dawson cradling her in her arms as Matt gathered all their things. During their extended stay at the hospital, they'd accumulated a lot of things; mostly their stuff, as well as things the hospital had given them to help out at home for a few days, which had led to them having nearly four bags full of things to get back home.
"Alright, I'm gonna head down and get the car, get all this stuff in the trunk, and I'll meet you at the entrance." Casey spoke, three of the four bags hooked onto one arm.
"Okay, thank you." Gabby responded, smiling softly as Matt leaned down, placing a quick kiss to the top of her head.
"I'll see you in a few minutes, I love you guys." He said as he headed for the door, Gabby's body flooding with warmth as she grinned wider.
"Love you too."
Matt was out the door soon after that, Tiffany unlocking the brakes on the wheelchair before slowly moving the mother and daughter towards the exit.
"Matt is so sweet." Tiffany mused softly, Gabby nodding in agreement as she looked down at Sofia, seeing her previously alert daughter slowly fading.
"He is… Sofia and I got lucky." Gabby agreed, her voice barely above a whisper as the nurse pushed her through the hospital.
Gabby was only left waiting for a few minutes by the time they got downstairs, Matt pulling up to the curb as Gabby was ushered outside, Casey quickly putting the car in park and getting out. He removed the car seat from the back, knowing it would be easier to get little Sofia in without the awkward angle. Placing the car seat on the bench, Matt carefully grabbed a nearly asleep Sofia from her mom, the little girl fussing at the disturbance.
"I know, I'm sorry." Matt murmured, kissing her head before he slowly placed his daughter into her car seat, Matt adjusting her so she was comfortable before he strapped her in, taking his time ensuring that it was done properly. "Alright, there you go. Let's get you in the car, yeah?" He kept his voice low as he spoke to his daughter, Gabby unable to stop her grin as she watched the two most important people in her life, still feeling an almost unfathomable amount of love whenever she saw them together.
Gabby stayed seated while Sofia's carseat got secured into place, Matt checking it multiple times before shutting the door as carefully as he could, coming around to the other side of the car where Gabby was waiting.
"Need me to help you in, too?" He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes while Tiffany laughed lightly, locking the wheelchair. The back door was already open, Matt holding out his arms for her to grab onto, Gabby using him for support as she moved. She definitely felt better, and was improving every day, but there was still some lingering soreness that she felt more often than not, which frequently reminded her to take it easy.
Slowly, Matt helped Gabby into the backseat, the new mom wanting to sit beside her baby during the drive. Once she was in, Matt shut her door as well, flashing the nurse an appreciative smile before heading for the driver's side door.
"Thank you, all of you… for everything." He spoke, opening his door as Tiffany nodded.
"Congratulations, Matt." She responded, his grin widening before he sat down into Gabby's car, closing the door, securing the family inside.
As he buckled up, he caught sight of Gabby through the rearview mirror, his wife focused on their baby. "Is she alright?"
"Yeah, she's fine. She's almost asleep." Gabby responded, Matt nodding before he slowly pulled away from the hospital.
Casey was sure he'd never driven so carefully in his life, Matt abiding by every traffic law known to man as he drove through the streets of Chicago towards their apartment. It was nerve wracking, but the closer they got to home, the more relaxed he felt. He was excited to get both his girls home, he was just grateful that both of his girls were coming home.
"I hope she likes being home." Gabby spoke suddenly, Matt quickly flashing his eyes to the rearview mirror before looking back to the road. "Although, as long as she's fed and changed, she doesn't seem to care where she is." She joked, Matt chuckling as he turned down their street.
"I think she'll love it. Especially her room, even though it'll be awhile before she actually sleeps in there." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod.
"I can definitely say that she likes being in the car." Gabby mused, Matt pulling into the parking spot.
"Oh yeah?" He questioned, Gabby giving him a nod.
"She slept the whole way… God, I can't wait to sleep like that, I can't wait to lay down in our bed." Gabby breathed out, Matt turning around in his seat once the car was in park, flashing an amused smile towards her.
"Yeah, it'll be pretty great not to be sleeping in a chair anymore. But my first task once we get her settled is to start some laundry…" He spoke with a grimace, Gabby matching his look. "The amount of dirty clothes we have from the hospital, it'll take me days to get through."
"Well, at least you have a game-plan." She responded with a smirk, Matt scoffing lightly before pulling the keys from the ignition and getting out of the car.
"Alright, let's get you two inside then I'll come back and get our stuff." He spoke, Gabby nodding as Matt came around to her door. Matt helped her out of the car first, making sure she was good before jogging around to the other side, grabbing Sofia's car seat. Holding Sofia's seat in one hand, Matt looked to Gabby, watching as she grabbed ahold of his arm, the two beginning to walk towards their apartment.
They moved slowly, Gabby not able to get around very quickly, Matt letting her set the pace as they walked down the sidewalk. Gabby kept one hand pressed against her stomach, while her other clung to Matt, the family eventually getting to their back door.
"Why is that walk longer than I remember?" She asked with a soft grin, Matt chuckling as he unlocked the door, letting Gabby walk ahead of him before he followed her in, closing the door behind them.
Everything looked the same as it had before, Gabby watching as Matt placed Sofia's car seat on the counter, the sleeping baby slowly waking up, the movement disturbing her rest.
"Hey little girl." Matt spoke, tapping his index finger gently against her chest, Sofia's eyes opening more as she looked back and forth between her parents, unsure of who to focus on. "Let me get her out before she falls back asleep." He continued, beginning to unbuckle her from the seat, a yawn escaping Sofia's lips. "Oh yeah, she's definitely still tired."
Making sure to support her head, Matt lifted little Sofia out of her seat, immediately handing her over to her mom, Sofia happy to cuddle into Gabby's chest, the little girl unaware that here surroundings had changed.
"Yeah, I don't think she cares." Gabby spoke with a laugh, Matt shrugging as he cradled Sofia's small head.
"Probably not, but at least she's comfortable here." He responded, pressing a kiss to Gabby's head before walking back towards the back door. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna get everything else." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod before he disappeared outside.
Returning her attention back to her daughter, Gabby grinned as she took in the sleepy baby, Sofia fading fast in her arms, the new mom feeling much more relaxed now that they were out of the hospital. "We're home now, baby." Gabby murmured, Sofia falling asleep to the sound of her mother's voice. "We're home."
Well, the Casey's are finally home. I hope you all aren't minding the pace of this story, I know them being trapped in the hospital is never fun to read for very long, and I just found it better to move on from the hospital. And truthfully, I had a hard time with inspiration for this chapter, so I'm glad to have the family home now. Aside from Sofia getting sick, everything's going well for the little family, so we'll see how that continues now that they're back at the apartment.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I'm eager to hear what you all think. Also, I would love your suggestions for what you'd like to see these new parents experience? Obviously, there's a lot of firsts with a newborn, but I'm just curious if there's anything in particular you all would like to see? I'm open to any and all suggestions!
Thank you for reading, see you next time!